Instruments in our lab
The biointerface lab is equipped with state-of-the-art spectroscopy techniques, sepcifically dedicated to the analysis of sample surfaces and interfaces. We also have a setup for the synthesis of nano-microparticles in highly controlled conditions. If you are interested in accessing any of these instruments, please contact us.
Confocal Raman / fluorescence microscope
We have a
fantastic Bruker Senterra confocal Raman microscope
equipped with 3 lasers (785, 633 and 532 nm), which allows
us to analyze a vast range of samples, including
biological samples. A special hardware feature removes
fluorescence background at 785 nm. Sample maps with
approximately 1 micron resolution can be obtained with a
computer controlled sample stage, and polarizers and
analyzers allow us to take polarized spectra.
Additionally, we can measure fluorescence maps using the
Olympus optical microscope installed on the instrument.
The connection with the MultiRAM
allows us to measure spectra with excitation wavelength of
1064 nm too.
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NIR FT-Raman spectrometer
The Bruker MultiRAM
spectrometer is a stand-alone FT-Raman spectrometer with
excitation wavelength of 1064 nm. We have connected this
instrument to the Senterra microscope via a fiber optic,
thus achieving the rare possibility of collecting FT-Raman
spectra inside a confocal microscope.
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Microcalorimetry of adsorption
The microcalorimeter TAM
III from TA instruments is an amazingly sensitive
microcalorimeter of adsorption, which we can use to
measure energies of interaction between samples in liquid,
solid or gas phase. We have two cells, one to perform
isotermal titration calorimetry measures, and another that
allows us to measure the heat of interaction between two
samples simply by putting them in contact with each other.
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IR spectrometer
We have a Bruker Tensor
27 IR spectrometer, equipped with both a DTGS and an MCT
detector. Several attachments allow us to perform measures
specifically at interfaces: multi-pass attenuated total
reflectance (ATR), with which we can take spectra of
samples in water; grazing-angle ATR (GATR), the best
technique to analyze self-assembled monolayers; a diffuse
reflectance (DRIFT) cell, which we can heat and connect to
a gas delivery line, to analyze changes in surface
functional groups.
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Titrando
A pH-Stat is
usually used in analytical chemistry applications to
titrate acid/base solutions, or metals. In the
biointerface lab we use Titrando 902 (Metrohm, Fischer) to
perform crystallization experiments in very controlled
conditions. We have both a pH and a Ca sensitive
electrode, which allow us to work in constant composition
regimes, to mimic body conditions. A water-jacketed cell
connected to a water bath allows us to keep the
temperature constant as well.
Ne200 Electrospinning Machine
Our electrospinning machine can produce nanofibers of
various polymers. We use this instrument to prepare
polymeric patches that can release anti-inflammatory drugs
for skin diseases.
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